The Sonics better stay in Seattle. If I am ever able to watch a game Seattle is the only place that is close to where I live. I hope they stay.

RainierBeachPoet

06-19-2008 01:53 PM

Re: sonics vs the city of seattle trial

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Italian

How long is this trial supposed to go on for?

The Sonics better stay in Seattle. If I am ever able to watch a game Seattle is the only place that is close to where I live. I hope they stay.

it ends tomorrow i believe; verdict next week

RainierBeachPoet

06-19-2008 01:54 PM

Re: sonics vs the city of seattle trial

from day three:

"It's difficult for me to be here, can't go to games. I'm not a real popular guy here."

uhhh yeah clay you fu(king dipsh!t

there are other gems:

Clay Bennett expressed regret that he did not get an arena in Seattle and his vision for the Sonics didn't succeed here. PBC lawyer Brad Keller allowed Bennett to point out the positives of relocations and the negatives and pitfalls of being a lame-duck team for two seasons in Seattle.
Here are some key points:

*Bennett said a study showed that the Sonics would make $7 million in year one in OKC and $10 million in year two.
When asked why the team would flourish at a rebuilt arena in Oklahoma, Bennett pointed out:
*Closeness to the court and premium seating is prime real estate
*New courtside suite product that has been developed at new arenas that would occur in OKC
*The new arena would "extract higher revenue that I had been referring to."
*More amenities in the (new) building
*Funding mechanisms in the construction of the building
*The OKC team would have "support of the community, the Hornets enjoyed sellout crowds and wildly enthusiastic support."

Why he needs to leave Seattle now? Bennett said:

*NBA is a highly competitive league
*Free agency -- "Players can choose where they want to play and we are in uncertainty and that is a very difficult element into developing a team. Want to know where their families are going to be, where they are going to practice, where their kids are going to go to school."
*Bennett said he has had very important talent in the organization leave because of the uncertainty
*Bennett wondered, "How do we market this team? How do we attract sponsors for this team for two years?"
*He adds that sponsorship is so competitive could be worth as much as $20 million
Bennett then adds: "It's difficult for me to be here, can't go to games. I'm not a real popular guy here."
"We bought this team with grand visions for success and did weeverything right? No we didn't. Did we understand everything there was to understand? We did not. ... I believed in the bottom of my heart we would succeed and I am disappointed we did not."
The defense finishes with its questioning of Bennett and the city is now cross-examining

RainierBeachPoet

06-19-2008 01:55 PM

Re: sonics vs the city of seattle trial

and day four:

here is some of the testimony:

In talking with city attorney Jeffrey Johnson, noted economist Lon Hatamiya who said the Sonics have an average economic impact of $187,842,290 on the Puget Sound area Hatamiya uses multipliers, meaning that money is spent by the fan to a consumer and then spent again and again.

"I took a very conservative approach, taking only half of the players salaries into the economy," he tells Johnson,

In his study, Hatamiya considered the:
*Seattle metropolitan area – King and Snohomish counties
*Contributions the Sonics players, fans etc. make to the economy, not only the expenditures
*Once the dollar is spent it multiplies many times over
Hatamiya also added:
*The Sonics support 1,200 to 1,300 full- and part-time times per year
*The Sonics expenditures create jobs

In his study, Hatamita said the Sonics have generated the following "Additional Household Income for Seattle"

Hatamiya said in Clay Bennett's "Sonics Relocation Proposal" that he presented to the state legislature in Oklahoma, he used the same multipliers as Hatamiya used
*Bennett said the total annual economic impact for a new team in Oklahoma would be $171,737,588
When asked where the Seattle Sonics dollar will go if the Sonics leave, "It may go away, there's no certainty that money will be continued to spent. Much of that impact will shift to Oklahoma City."

From the Public Info PDF on the Court's website, here's a good, to-the-point summary of the heart of the case:
2. Summary of Case # C071620MJP, City of Seattle v. Professional Basketball Club LLC - - - - - The City of Seattle ("the City") has sued the Professional Basketball Club, LLC ("PBC"), in an effort to enforce the terms of a lease that requires the Seattle Supersonics to play all of its home games at KeyArena through the 20092010 NBA season. The City seeks the remedy of specific performance rather than money damages from this Court, and is asking this Court to enter a declaratory judgment ordering the Supersonics to play at
KeyArena for the next two NBA seasons. PBC responds by arguing that the facts and circumstances of this case do not justify specific performance, and seeks to pay its financial obligations to the City under the lease and thereafter be released from it.

SAVEOURSONICS!!!
Also, SonicsCentral, the blog for SaveOurSonics has up to date discussions about the trial, the draft and other issues about the team.